Purse Strings

Writing Strong Female Characters as Maria Reitan speaks with Nina Romano. Nina is the Author of In America The Secret Language of Women. 

Nina is the author of five poetry collections: Cooking Lessons from Rock Press, submitted for the Pulitzer Prize, Coffeehouse Meditations, from Kitsune Books, She Wouldn’t Sing at My Wedding, from Bridle Path Press, and Faraway Confections from Aldrich Press. Romano has published two poetry chapbooks: Prayer in a Summer of Grace and Time’s Mirrored Illusion both from Flutter Press.  Her latest poetry collection, Westward: Guided by Starfalls and Moonbows,  has recently been published from LLC Red Dashboard. She has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize. She co-authored Writing in a Changing World.

Andrea Phillips is an award-winning transmedia writer, game designer and author. She has worked on projects such as iOS fitness games Zombies, Run! and The Walk, The Maesters Path for HBOs Game of Thrones, human rights game America 2049, and the independent commercial ARG Perplex City. Her projects have variously won the Prix Jeunesse Interactivity Prize, a Broadband Digital award, a Canadian Screen Award, a BIMA, the Origins Vanguard Innovation Award, and others.

Being your own boss is what we learn about as Maria Reitan welcomes Emilie Aries, the Founder and CEO of Bossed Up. Emilie is a political organizer turned award-winning women’s development coach. She has helped hundreds of women navigate career transition and prevent burnout. Her TED talk, “The Power of No,” shows how to set healthy boundaries and invest in sustainable long-term achievement.

Aries is a regular contributor on gender roles in the workplace at RoleReboot.org, The Huffington Post, and Levo League and a sought-after speaker at companies, organizations, and universities across the country. Earlier this year, she received the Young Women of Achievement Entrepreneurship award from WIN, the Women’s Information Network.

Creating relationships built on respect as Maria Reitan speaks with Mike Domitrz, the Author of May I Kiss You and the Founder of the Date Safe Project.. Mike Domitrz is one of the leading experts for transforming our sexual culture to one being built on consent and respect. For over two decades, educators, military, families, colleges and individuals of all have sought out Mike and his impactful programs and speaking engagements.

Everyone; people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds, need to hear the challenging and life-changing message in his just released book, Can I Kiss You?

Leading and Winning Authentically as Maria Reitan speaks with Marcia Hyatt, a leadership and life coach for those exploring voice and vocation. She co-founded the Center for Emerging leadership and hosts a weekly podcast called Best of Our Selves.

Maria Reitan speaks with Kimberlee Moen, founder of XaBeat… a new fitness movement rolling out across the country. In 2010, she opened Dance-Fit which is now XaBeat, where we could inspire all women to find a healthier and passionate life. XaBeat is a dance-fitness program that provides high intensity cardio and toning in party like atmosphere. The routines are simple and easy to follow so participants can concentrate on getting a better workout! XaBeat class participants sculpt their bodies and burn calories without even realizing they are working out.

Year one success story of female entrepreneurs as Maria Reitan speaks with Alexandra Friedman, the Co-founder of LOLA. 

LOLA is a subscription based company that sends 100% organic cotton tampons all around the USA – even your door stop. Learn why Alex and her business partner Jordana Kier decided to launch this particular company and how they did it – all within the last year!

Today on Purse Strings Maria Reitan is joined by Shauna Mackenzie, founder of Best Kept Self. Best Kept Self is a platform dedicated to the self-care for the busy, burnt-out and overwhelmed business owners who put themselves last on the priority list. They believe business thrives when you thrive. They live to help entrepreneurs regain energy through their health, become more authentic in the way they look and live a more abundant life Shauna started her entrepreneurial career as an image consultant in 2007, launching the first and only full-service image consulting firm in South. A couple years into her consulting career, she noticed a huge need and opportunity to fill a training gap in the image industry by combining the technical education with business building skills.

Today on Purse Strings Maria Reitan is joined by Amy Von Dorp, managing director of WithIt. Founded in 1997, WithIt was founded as a not for profit organization dedicated to the belief that women should play a major role in the growth and future of the home and furnishings industries. Withit is the best network in the home and furnishings industries existing today – focused on education, mentoring ,and leadership opportunities for women.

Innovating Female Taboos as Maria Reitan speaks with Miki Agrawal, the CEO and Co-Founder of THINX. 

THINX is a high-tech, beautiful underwear solution for women to wear during their periods. She teamed up with AFRIpads in Uganda to fund a pack of reusable cloth pads for every underwear sold to get millions of girls back in school. To date, Miki and THINX have helped over 30,000 girls go back to Her next big focus is solving the light bladder leakage problem that moms are facing today and giving women who leak the ability to feel like themselves again. 1 in 3 women pee a little when they laugh, jump, jog, sneeze or cough.